"I have work today!" Bob exclaimed, shooting upright in his bed.
"Hunh?" a sleepy-eyed Helen responded, having just been jolted awake by the sudden increase in her bedmate's physical and vocal activity.
"The kids don't have school, but I still have to work," he sighed exasperatedly, running his hands over his tired face and up through his hair. He looked at the clock on his bedside table. 7:40. "Oh boy." He needed to leave by 8:00 to get to the office on time.
"Hey big guy, calm down. Go get showered and I'll take care of the rest," Helen said, stretching her neck up to look at him. Bob looked her up and down and chuckled. Her head was level with him, yet the rest of her body was still splayed front down on the sheets. If she were anyone else, he'd be running for his life.
He smiled and took a breath. "Thanks honey," he said quickly and whipped away the sheets. Helen sighed and flopped back onto her pillow for one last moment of peaceful bliss before the storm.
Once she heard the shower running from the bathroom she reluctantly slinked out of bed and stepped over to the closet. She flipped through the assortment of button down shirts and decided on a pale blue. Judging by the morning so far, she suspected he'd need a little reminder of how super he is.
She traveled to various areas of the room, assembling the rest of her husband's drab work ensemble, until she'd put together an outfit she deemed just boring enough to satisfy Bob's boss. She shuddered at the thought of the one time she had encountered that tiny, terrible man. It had taken all of her strength not to smack him to the ground while his attention was elsewhere.
She stepped back from where she had laid the outfit on the bed and double checked that she'd gotten all the pieces. With a satisfied exhale, she turned around and headed for the kitchen, ready to wrap up the morning's excitement.
The pancakes had just come off the pan when Bob came lumbering down the hallway.
"Bob quiet down! The kids are still sleeping," she said as she gently placed the large plate of pancakes on the table. "Plus, I'm still too tired to handle the kids just yet." She stretched her arm across the kitchen to fetch the syrup before making her way back towards their bedroom and her big, warm bed. "Have a good day at work, honey. I'll see you when you get home."
He smiled up at her with a mouthful of pancake and gave her a thumbs-up. She giggled softly at his cheeky goodbye and padded back down the hall. She poked her head into Violet and Dash's rooms to make sure they were still asleep, then swiftly made it back to the master bedroom.
She slid back under her sheets and curled into a tight ball, trying to collect as much warmth as she possibly could, yawned, and looked over at her husband's bedside table. 7:59. They made it in record time. Just as she was about to roll over and drift back off to sleep, something by the clock caught her eye. She squinted in the dim light and rubbed her eyes before focusing in on the small brown object.
Bob forgot his wallet.
With a small huff, she tore herself back out of bed, shoved the forgotten goods into the pocket of her robe, and booked it on light feet for the front door, hoping he hadn't yet driven away.
She threw open the door leading into the garage and saw her husband just about to squeeze into his tiny vehicle.
"Bob," she said before he could get too far into the car, "you forgot something."
He turned and took in her sleepy smile... and remembered. "Oh, of course!" He smacked a hand to his forehead then took a step to close the space between himself and his wife.
He slipped one large hand easily around her waist and kissed her so abruptly she stumbled back. She was startled at first, but quickly began to reciprocate with enthusiasm, her hands reaching the lapels of his suit jacket and drawing him as close as she could.
Bob broke the kiss but stayed close to Helen's face, and softly whispered an upbeat "I love you."
"Mmm I love you too, sweetie," she said, her sleepy smile turning dopey. "But I meant your wallet." She reached into her pocket and retrieved the battered lump of faux leather, pressing it into his chest with one dainty finger.
Bob's face turned a very noticeable shade of cherry red as he reached up slowly to take his wallet. He chuckled, obviously embarrassed, before Helen gave him another quick peck and patted his cheek.
"Off to work. See you later," she said quickly, and turned on a dime to get back inside and finally get some sleep.
He watched her go before slowly opening the driver's side door and situating himself in the seat.
That was one silly mistake he was glad he'd made.